The Secrecy in the Nurse
by perscribo
Summary: Prompt from the Post-Bones Weekly Fan Fic Challenge. What if Booth were badly injured while Brennan was on the run between Seasons 7 and 8? Chapter 7 up!
1. Chapter 1

**_Disclaimer_** ** _: I don't own Bones._**

 ** _I had a few fic ideas in my head and was rather conflicted as to which I should start on. Then I read the prompts from the Bonesology challenge. And this just clicked in my head. I had been intending to do a fic set in this timeframe soon-ish anyway. So here goes._**

 ** _The prompt: What if Booth were badly injured while Brennan was on the run between Seasons 7 and 8?_**

 ** _Set after season 7, when Brennan was on the run with Christine and Max. This is obviously AU._**

Booth hated desk duty. He was an action kind of man. He thrived as an FBI Agent in the field. But he understood why he wasn't one now. If he were in Flynn's shoes he would've done the same thing to. Brennan was on the run, a fugitive from the law. Wanted for the murder of Ethan Sawyer. There was no way Booth could continue being a field agent. Being stuck behind a desk did have its perks. It allowed him to continue his hunt for Pelant. The sooner her cleared his girlfriend's name, the sooner he could see the woman he loved and his daughter again.

So every day, at the stroke of five, Booth left the office. There was no longer a need for the long hours he used to put in as a field agent. It gave him the time he needed to focus on catching Pelant. He hated being in the house without her. Without Christine. The house that was once their home was now empty and silent. The sounds of Christine's giggles and cries was sorely missed. The sound of Brennan's voice chiding him for his unhealthy snacks and stripy socks that were not in the laundry hamper, her breathy moans when they made love in their bed were missed even more. Their house no longer felt like home.

It was just after five in the afternoon that day, when Booth drove out from the parking structure of the Hoover Building. It would be a familiar drive home, where a microwave dinner and a cold beer was waiting for him before he dove straight into the more important job at hand. Clearing her name. Booth was now an angry man, but an angry man with a clear goal in mind. He would stop at nothing, until Brennan was allowed to come home. He had however, to be mindful to be discreet. Flynn, like him, was exceptional at his job. Without discretion, he risked being found out.

As he drove, his thoughts wandered as they always did to Brennan and Christine. He wondered if they were well, or if Pelant had caught up with them. He knew Max was with them, and the thought offered him small comfort. Christine would have grown. A sharp pang stabbed at his heart as he wondered if his daughter even remembered him.

Peak hour traffic was starting to build and the lights ahead of his standard-issue FBI vehicle were still green. His foot pushed harder on the gas, wanting to pass the traffic crossing before the lights changed. Without warning, there was a sensation of his car being hit, as if a wrecking ball had come crashing into its side. And then he felt the car being lifted onto its side and he was falling. His mind registered a sharp pain and then everything went black.

…

Brennan had just fed Christine her lunch and was ready to put her baby daughter down for her nap. The tiny motel room stank of stale cigarettes. She was glad that they would be moving on to their next rendezvous point with Max that evening. A series of quick raps on the motel room door put her on high alert. The rapping was distinctively Max's but she knew she had to be cautious. There could only be one reason why Max had turned up one day early. Either Pelant had caught up to them or the law had.

Brennan pushed the curtains back, careful to ascertain that it was indeed her father at the door before opening it to allow him in.

"Dad is everything okay? Have we been found by the police?"

Max shook his head, his expression grim. He glanced at Christine who was dozing off on the bed.

"You need to look at this honey."

Max handed Brennan a newspaper that had been tucked under his arm. He unfolded it, pointing at the small article that he wanted her to read. She had thought that perhaps Angela had found a way to clear her name.

 _FBI Agent Critically Wounded in Peak Hour Pile Up_

With trembling fingers, Brennan read the all too brief article. She dropped the newspaper to the carpeted floor, her eyes welling with tears.

"I'm sure he's going to be okay."

"He's in a coma Dad." Brennan brushed a stray tear rolling down her cheek. "I've seen accidents like this. And knowing Booth, he wasn't wearing a seatbelt. The prognosis isn't good." She choked.

"Honey you don't know that. It just says he's in a coma."

"He's likely suffered a fractured skull. Numerous fractures to his ribs, clavicle, maybe even his tibia or femur. He must have suffered severe internal haemorrhaging as well. He – "

Brennan sat down on the bed, defeated. "He could die."

"He won't. Because he's waiting for you and Christine to come home."

Brennan shook her head. The thought of losing Booth overwhelmed her with grief and the tears fell freely. "He's all alone, in the intensive care unit."

She remembered when Booth had gone for his brain surgery and she sat by his bedside, waiting for him to wake up. They weren't together then, but now they were. What kind of partner was she? She couldn't let him die without knowing. She loved him and she had ran with their daughter, depriving him of a chance to watch his daughter grow up. She didn't know if he was angry with her for running without telling him. She didn't know if he blamed her for taking Christine away from him. She didn't know if he still believed that she loved him and missed him terribly. She couldn't let him die alone, without knowing. She stopped her tears. She knew how to make it right. She stood up, looking at Max with renewed determination.

"Tempe, don't do it."

"I have to."

"The newspaper already mentioned that Booth's girlfriend is a fugitive, wanted for murder. The FBI are going to be staking out his hospital room."

"I don't care Dad. I have to see him."

"He has friends. Good friends of yours."

"But they're not me. Booth needs to know that I'm there for him. I can't abandon him when he needs me the most. I love him Dad."

"They'll catch you and put you in jail. Booth and Christine will never see you outside prison walls ever again. You know what it's like. I was there."

"I can't think of that now. I don't want to have any regrets. I won't be able to live with myself if Booth dies. Please Dad."

Max sighed. She was right. The guilt would kill her. "Okay. I was hoping I could convince you not to go but if I couldn't, I have a plan."

…

Two days later, and two days too late in Brennan's opinion, she strode confidently into the entrance of George Washington University Hospital. When she read the newspaper article, she had been somewhat relived that Booth had been sent straight to a hospital with a Level I trauma center. She knew his chances of survival had been increased just by being there.

She rode the elevator to the Intensive Care Unit, her blonde hair, tied neatly into a ponytail. The fake scar on her brow itched but she was conscious not to scratch it. The fake nose her father had helped her fashion on felt heavy but they were small inconveniences to bear. All she wanted was to see Booth. Her heart hammered wildly in her chest, anxious and yet excited to see him again. She entered the Intensive Care Unit and headed for the nurse's station.

"I'm looking for Head Nurse Whitley?" The fake nose made her voice sound a little nasal but she could just tell everyone she suffered from allergic rhinitis.

Brennan was pointed towards a silver-haired lady in nursing scrubs. When she saw Brennan approach, she quickly ushered them to the break room, locking the door behind them, making sure they were alone.

"Tempe?"

"You must be Mildred."

"Millie. My how you've grown. You're a beautiful woman now. The last time I saw you, you were just a baby in Max's arms."

"Thank you for doing this for me." Brennan knew the seriousness of the consequences should Millie be caught.

Millie shook her head. "Max and Christine used to be my neighbors. My husband… he used to drink. He was abusive. He almost killed me once, if not for Max. I owe my life to him. Besides, Max is confident your good name would be cleared soon. I moved, once the divorce went through. It's fortunate Max found out I'm Head Nurse here now."

Millie handed Brennan a set of scrubs and a name tag complete with photo ID. "Your friend Angela is very good. This ID looks just like what the hospital issues. It even gives you access through all the doors and corridors in this building. Handy, if ever your cover is blown."

She pointed to an empty locker. "This is yours. Get changed and I'll take you to see your boyfriend."

Brennan moved to hug Millie. "I'm really grateful for you doing this."

A few minutes later, dressed in hospital issue scrubs complete with the fake ID from Angela, Brennan walked slowly behind Millie towards Booth's room. She saw the FBI Agent posted at his door and her heart beat wildly again. She took controlled breaths to hide her nervousness.

Mille nodded at the Agent, introducing Brennan. "This is Rachel. She's been transferred here from Oncology. One of my nurses got into a motorcycle accident. She's going to be out for a month or two. I wouldn't have dreamed of riding a motorcycle when I was that age." Millie laughed.

The Agent smiled politely back. He barely glanced at Brennan as Millie sild the glass door open and entered the room with Brennan. She quickly slid the door close and drew the curtains, preventing anyone on the outside from looking in.

Brennan could barely hold back her tears as she stepped towards the hospital bed and saw Booth again for the first time in two months.

 ** _Ok anyone thinking what a dumb FBI Agent for not recognizing Brennan… yeah let's leave it at that. Suspend some disbelief for this fic guys okay? It's gonna be pretty AU but I'm gonna try not to make anyone too OOC._**


	2. Chapter 2

**_Sorry for the wait. Thank you everyone for your more than warm response to this story premise. Shout outs to:_** ** _angelena76 (thank you I do try to keep my fics as realistic as possible, you're right this is going to be more of a serious story), bookwormlady, ZinaR, kareneb_** ** _,_** ** _aadams00 (connected Max, totally believable IMO), anne1585_** ** _(thanks),_** ** _MoreBonesPlz (how true), mendenbar_** ** _(true that),_** ** _554Laura (definitely adding more to this story so keep suspending belief!), Crash22244_** ** _,_** ** _FaithinBones (true of human nature), LoveShipper, jsboneslover (Max does I believe. She'll be around for the next few chapters, and you're right about Booth too), YellowShadess_** ** _,_** ** _BonesfanJD (thanks for following),_** ** _prfahibi (prompt wasn't from me, honestly the idea never occurred to me but now it has and I'll be expanding on it), wentzer (yup your reasoning makes sense)._**

 _He's not breathing on his own._ Those were the first thoughts she had as Brennan stepped closer towards Booth's motionless body on the hospital bed. The dam of emotions threatened to burst as she studied him from head to toe. He was intubated, the steady, rhythmic whoosh of the ventilator as it pumped air into Booth's lungs was punctuated by the beeping of the heart monitor, recording each beat of his heart. Her brain registered that his blood pressure was lower than normal but his heart was beating in regular rhythm. She watched the rise and fall of his chest, courtesy of the ventilator, noting the chest tube running from the side of his chest, draining blood and fluid into a sealed container on the floor. He had several visible fractures mostly to the left side of his body, as evidenced by his left foot in a cast and his left arm in a sling. The bandage round his chest indicated rib fractures. Several IV lines ran into his good right arm. Cautiously she picked up his chart, noting the medications that were being pumped into his body, cataloguing his injuries. Her visual assessment had almost been spot on. She glanced at Millie.

"His hemoglobin levels are low."

"He's lost a lot of blood. We've transfused him already. Blood counts are on the rise. He's very lucky. He was pinned inside the wreckage of his car. Firefighters took a long time to free him. He held on for longer than they thought he would."

Brennan remembered Max's words. He had held on for her and Christine.

"Skull fracture… did you know he has a history of brain surgery?"

"Yes. The CT scans show no intracranial bleeding." It was a good thing. Brennan was relieved.

"But he's still in a coma."

"We've medically induced the coma. His injuries are so extensive, he'll be in a lot of pain if he's awake. When we finally stabilized him and he was out of surgery, his lungs and kidneys were already failing. In a coma, his body has more time to heal and his failing organs have a chance to recuperate. His kidney function is already starting to normalize. Once his pneumothorax resolves hopefully in a few days, we can consider bringing him out of the coma, then weaning him off the ventilator."

Brennan nodded. Millie wasn't telling her anything she didn't already know from reading his chart. His prognosis was still bleak, but she had to be thankful for small victories. She didn't believe in luck but Millie had been right. He had been lucky. An inch closer and one of his fractured ribs could've punctured a ventricle. He would have bleed out internally, dying even before he could have been extracted from the wrecked car. Collapsed lung, bruised liver. She mentally calculated the odds of survival from each individual injury. Added together, the odds were stacked against him. Hanging the chart back at the foot of his hospital bed, Brennan made her way to his right side, gently taking his surprisingly warm hand in hers. Physical contact broke her and she choked out an anguished, "Oh Booth!"

She sobbed quietly. Booth was not out of the woods yet. She could still lose him to his injuries. She cried softly, unsure for how long until she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"He looks like he's in good shape. He had been healthy before the accident. I'm sure he'll pull through. Especially now that he knows you're here."

"Thank you. I should go about my duties or people will get curious."

"I've rostered you to work nights, when there's less staff on duty. I've also noticed they post only one guard at his door at night. But you should leave before eight every morning. That's when two new FBI Agents come to replace the night shift agent outside. You're the RN responsible for Mr Booth and seventy-two-year-old Mrs Walters in the next room. She fell down a flight of stairs at home. Hip fracture surgery complicated by an AMI halfway through surgery. She's a kind lady and like Booth, heavily sedated so it shouldn't be hard. You can spend more time with Booth this way."

"Again, I can't thank you enough."

"It's nothing dear. I suggest you wipe off those tears and check in on Mrs Walters. Once that's done, you have the rest of the night with Booth. I'll come get you at seven thirty in the morning. Show you a back way out of here. It'll come in handy if you ever need to make a quick escape."

Once again, Brennan nodded her thanks. She wiped off her tears, glad that the extra bit of latex that Max had used to change the shape of her nose was still in place. Brennan took care to make sure she drew the curtains while she was in Mrs Walters' room, so that she could do the same in Booth's. After half an hour, she re-entered Booth's room. The FBI Agent at the door hardly glanced at her. She drew the curtains after sliding the glass door shut, giving her the privacy she needed. She took time and care to check on Booth's clinical parameters and administered medications that were on his chart, mostly drugs to maintain his medically-induced coma.

Finally two hours since she started her shift in the ICU, she finally had the time to be Brennan, Booth's girlfriend again. She gently smoothed the hair on his head then resting her palm on his cheek, she leaned in to press a kiss to his forehead. Booth did not respond, not that she had been expecting him to. For now she was grateful his heart was still beating.

She thought back to the last time she saw him. She had left him standing at the steps to the church. It hadn't been a good feeling, taking Christine and leaving him. But back then he had been healthy, a stark contrast to how he was now. She sighed, taking his hand in hers, she squeezed gently. Just as she did when she had waited from him to wake up from his coma years ago, she spoke to him.

"Hi Booth. It's me. I'm here." She paused, as if waiting for a reply. He didn't move, the soft whooshing sounds of the ventilator sounded like background music to her monologue.

"Christine's fine. She's with Max. I know he'll take good care of her. I show her your photograph every day, so she won't forget you. She's even tried to say Dada once. She can't verbalize it but she misses you. I'm well and in good health. As is Christine. We're in no danger. I'm sorry Booth. I'm sorry we abandoned you. You need to know I would never intentionally hurt you. I love you very much. Don't die okay Booth? Christine needs her Dad. I need you."

…

The next few nights passed uneventfully. Nobody seemed to pay much attention to the substitute nurse in the ICU. Brennan knew Angela, Sweets and Cam visited him in the day. Nightly she talked to Booth, telling him about her time on the run. She assured him that she was in no danger. Her cover as a nurse in the hospital was a stroke of genius. Pelant would not try to harm her while there was an FBI Agent posted at Booth's door.

The fourth night since she became nurse Rachel, was her day off. It was one of the most difficult things she had to do. Stay away from Booth. She spoke to Max briefly from a payphone, glad to hear Christine babbling happily in the background. Max had informed her, he had found a new lead on Pelant. Brennan would find a way to pass on that information to Angela through Millie. Hopefully it would help in their attempts to clear her name.

The next night, Brennan reported for duty and was about to head for Booth's room to start her shift when she saw a familiar figure at Booth's door, causing her to stop in her tracks. FBI Special Agent Hayes Flynn was standing outside the door to Booth's room. He was deep in conversation with the day shift nurse. Brennan ducked into the supply closet. She knew the other nurses would be wondering where she was if she wasn't attending to the patients under her care, so Brennan chanced it and left the closet after a couple of minutes. Flynn was now talking to the FBI Agent standing guard, his back to her. Brennan worried if her cover had been blown.

She took the longer route round the nursing station, using her staff ID to open the door leading to the back corridor, an escape route Millie had shown her on her first night there. From behind the door, Brennan peeked through the small glass window and waited, hoping the other nurses would not realize she was missing. After an inordinate amount of time, Flynn left and Brennan ventured out again, back into the ICU. She headed for Mrs Walters's room first to avoid suspicion.

As she entered Booth's room some time later, Brennan half-expected the FBI Agent at Booth's door to arrest her, but he let her pass without a word. Inside Booth's room, she focused on his condition, noting that his blood counts had indeed risen and that the drainage from his chest tube had significantly lessened. His blood pressure was also not as low as before. Signs that he was on the mend. The sliding of Booth's room door made her jump It was Millie.

"I saw Agent Flynn here." Brennan said, "He's the FBI Agent in-charge of finding me."

"Imagine how mad he'll be at himself when one day he finds out you were right here all along." Millie chuckled.

"He doesn't suspect anything?"

"I don't think so. He was here to check if Mr Booth had any new visitors. Which he hasn't." Millie winked. "Agent Flynn isn't all bad. He seems genuinely concerned for Booth."

"They are friends. But circumstances had pit them against each other."

"Yes this serial killer you told me about."

Brennan nodded.

"I have good news for you. As you've probably seen for yourself, he is improving. His pneumothorax is resolving. We're bringing him out of his coma tomorrow morning. When you come in for your shift tomorrow night, he should be fairly lucid."

"That is good news."

"He'll be happy to see you." Millie nodded at towards Booth.

"I hope so."


	3. Chapter 3

**_Thank you list time:_** ** _LoveShipper (nope, she's not reading him a coma dream story this time), 554Laura_** **** ** _(thank you. yeah she's walking a fine line this time),_** ** _ZinaR, GalaxieGurl (lol yes sometimes I do write some pretty angsty stuff, but the premise of this one was not thought up by me, but it was a good prompt, thank you for your kind review), gatewatcher, mendenbar_** **** ** _(GalaxieGurl and you have the same worry. It's addressed below, read on. And sorry about making you worry *wink*), Melanie G, Monique Sampson (you're right about saying it's a bit of both). Thanks everyone for following and favorit-ing (I might have invented a word here)._**

The first thing that Booth felt when he opened his eyes was pain. He blinked. The harsh white light felt like it was stabbing his eyes. He tried to groan but no sound came out. He tried to swallow but felt an uncomfortable sensation as if something was jammed down his throat. He fought the urge to gag.

"Mr Booth, you're awake. Welcome back to the land of the living."

Booth blinked slowly, waiting for his eyes to adjust to the impossibly bright lights. He felt as if someone or something was breathing for him and that he wasn't in control of each rise and fall of his chest. Each push of air into his lungs hurt. His thoughts felt muddled, as if he was wading in a swamp through a thick fog. He felt drowsy and he struggled to stay awake. He could vaguely make out a human head. As his vision cleared, he realized a balding man with thick glasses was peering into his eyes.

"I'm Dr Bennett. Your attending doctor. You're in the Intensive Care Unit of George Washington University Hospital. You have a tube down your throat. It's connected to the ventilator, to help you breathe. It isn't exactly comfortable but we'll have to keep it there for another day or two. Do you remember what happened?"

 _Did he?_ He tried to recall and that caused his head to hurt.

"You can't speak and I doubt you'll have the strength to write even if we provided you with pen and paper. You can blink. Once for yes, twice for no."

"Do you understand what I'm saying?"

Booth blinked once.

"Good." The man who called himself Dr Bennet offered him a slight smile. "Do you remember how you ended up here?"

Booth tried to remember. The last thing that came to mind was looking through some old cases on his desk at the bullpen in the Hoover. He blinked twice.

"Don't worry. You have a fractured skull and a resulting concussion. The amnesia would go away with time. Your car was hit but a drunk driver who happened to be driving a semi. You're very lucky to be alive. The driver wasn't."

Booth blinked to indicate he understood. He suddenly thought of Brennan and Christine. They were on the run, that much he remembered. He wanted to know how long he had been asleep, but realized he had no way of asking. He worried that he had been in a coma for a long time and that something untoward would've happened to his girlfriend and child without him knowing.

As if Dr Bennett could read his mind, he spoke. "That was six days ago. You've been in a medically-induced coma since then."

Booth tried to move. His left arm felt as if it was immobilized so he tried moving his right hand. His arm felt like it weighed a ton. The effort to simply raise his hand was monumental and he winced in pain at the slight movement. He tried turning his head but it exacerbated his pounding headache.

"I suggest you minimize any movement for now. You have many broken bones."

At the word he closed his eyes. _Bones_. He missed her terribly. A tear escaped his eye, rolling down his cheek. He knew that if she found out what had happened to him she would be worried. He wished she was there with him. He suddenly felt very alone. The doctor continued speaking, as if trying to encourage him.

"I've seen many people in a similar situation. You're in good hands. We're happy with how you're recovering. You're almost out of the woods, almost. It will be a long road to recovery but I'm certain with another orthopaedic surgery to fix your ankle that was badly crushed, and rehab, you can go back to your job as an FBI Agent again in a couple of months. You just need to get as much rest as you can for now. You're on round the clock pain meds, and we're still sedating you to help you sleep. We'll slowly be weaning you off the sedatives. Your thoughts should be clearer soon and memory of the accident might return. I just need you to stay with me for a little longer to run some simple tests."

Booth waited as Dr Bennett tested the sensation in both his feet and shone a light into his eyes. Booth groaned. Why were they torturing him?

"Your pupillary reflexes are normal. There doesn't seem to have been any damage to your brain or spinal cord."

Dr Bennett disappeared from his sight again, only to be replaced by a woman with silver hair "Hi. I'm Millie, Head Nurse in this unit. I'm off duty in a couple of hours, but the night shift nurse would be here to take over soon. I'm going to administer some sedatives to help you sleep. I can't imagine you're entirely comfortable now. If the pain gets bad, push on this button. It'll deliver an extra dose of morphine. And it's smart enough to stop you from overdosing yourself."

Booth felt her close his right hand round something cylindrical, then gently lift his hand to his face so he could see it. The red button on the end of the remote must have been the button she had been talking about.

"Do you understand what I just said?"

Booth felt like he was in kindergarten again. His thoughts still felt muddled, his sequence of thoughts jumbled. He blinked once. He tried to turn his head to assess his surroundings but the movement sent a wave of dizziness and nausea coursing through him.

Millie disappeared from his view and Booth concentrated on fighting the pain that assaulted him with each breath. He heard her voice, "Rest now. You'll feel better when you wake up. I guarantee it."

Booth only had time to briefly wonder how she could be so confident of that but the sedatives kicked in and he was pulled under.

…

When Booth woke again, it took some time for his sedative-fogged brain to remember where he was. The pain jolted him and he was immediately awake. He struggled to breathe, then remembered the machine was breathing for him. He realized it was easier if he didn't fight it and simply allow it to do the breathing for him. Dr Bennett had been right. His thoughts were a little more lucid this time.

"Booth." A familiar voice rang in his ear. He'd recognize that voice anywhere. _Could it be?_ He blinked, trying to clear his wanted to utter his name for her but the tube down his throat kept him from speech. Her face came into view and Booth thought his heart would burst. _What?! Is this another coma dream?_

Her hair was now blonde and she seemed to have a scar on her brow. _Had she been hurt?_ Her nose looked a little different. _Did she have plastic surgery? Why's she in hospital scrubs?_ _Damn that tube!_ He struggle to make himself understood but only succeeded in causing himself more pain.

"It's me."

 _I know!_ Booth screamed in his head. Years ago, when they were just partners, they had mastered the art of communication with just their eyes. She understood what he wanted to say.

"I know you recognize me. Before you worry, or try to admonish me for being here, I need to know if you're in pain. I'm here to be your nurse too, you know."

 _My what?!_

"Similar to what Dr Bennett taught you, blink. Once yes, twice no. Are you in pain?"

Booth didn't respond. He still couldn't quite believe she was there. He remembered how real his coma dream felt and wondered if what he was seeing was reality. He watched her frown, a look of worry etched on her face.

"Can you understand what I'm saying?"

Not wanting her to worry, Booth blinked once.

"Are you in pain?"

Booth blinked twice in rapid succession. He had missed hearing her voice. If she was real, he didn't want her giving him more medication to make him sleep.

"You're lying Booth. But I will allow you a few minutes before I administer an extra dose of morphine together with the sedatives and your scheduled antibiotics. You must have a lot of questions in your head."

Booth blinked once, hoping she saw it.

"When I found out you were in an accident and could possibly die, I wanted to see you. I didn't care if the FBI arrested me or if Pelant got to me. I just wanted to see you. I wanted to tell you how sorry I am for abandoning you, and how much I love you. I never wanted to hurt you."

Booth blinked once. He knew she never wanted to hurt him. Despite that, he couldn't help the emotional pain and anger that resurfaced with her appearance. She had taken their daughter and left him.

"I know you know. But it didn't feel good leaving you. I'm so sorry Booth."

 _You didn't have a choice._ His head understood but his heart not quite. She was here now, risking her life and imprisonment. Her actions spoke louder than her words. Being there told him how much she loved him. He pushed his hurt and anger aside. He didn't doubt her love for him.

Booth blinked once. He understood.

"Dad knows the Head Nurse here, Millie. They were old friends. Angela helped provide a fake ID. I'm a RN here working the night shift in the ICU. I know what you're going to say, that it's too dangerous. But I'm not leaving you Booth. Not until you walk out of here. Alive and well."

Booth blinked twice. He didn't agree. He frowned, the action causing him more pain. He squeezed his eyes shut, grimacing in pain.

"I'm not arguing with you Booth. My mind's made up. And Christine's fine. She with Max. They're safe from Pelant. He won't get to me here. You have an FBI Agent posted round the clock at your door."

Booth's eyes widened.

"Agent Flynn seems to have anticipated that I will come see you. But don't worry. The agent outside doesn't seem to know I'm me."

He watched as Brennan glanced round her shoulder then quickly press a kiss to his forehead. Her lips on his skin felt like water to his parched soul.

"I've caused you enough distress."

Booth wanted to tell her she had not caused him any distress. He had missed her terribly and seeing her now, was a balm to soothe the ache in his heart. Selfishly he wanted her to stay. Yet he worried for her safety. He also knew how stubborn she could be when her mind was made up. He suddenly felt too weak and tired to attempt to argue, even if it was only an argument he could have with her in his head.

"Sleep now Booth." Brennan said as she injected the drug into his IV line. "I love you."

…

When Booth awoke, he was disappointed to find his room empty. This time, he realized he could think quite clearly and remembered that the love of his life had been there with him. Or had she? Did he miss her so much that his drug-filled subconscious conjured her out of thin air? His disappointment was assuaged when a blonde nurse in scrubs reappeared, beaming at him.

"You're awake."

One blink. Relief washed over him. He hadn't dreamed of her being there afterall. He tried to offer her a smile but couldn't. He couldn't wait for the tube to be out.

"Dr Bennett says one more day at least before he'll extubate you. I have to go soon. My shift ends in an hour and the FBI guard doubles in the morning."

One blink.

"I don't know why they would do that. If Temperance Brennan were to visit you she wouldn't be so stupid as to visit you in the day when there would be many witnesses." She rambled on absently.

She had a point, and Booth worried that perhaps Flynn had been cunning enough to set a trap and she had taken the bait.

"Nonetheless, your night shift nurse Rachel is free to be with you on her eight-hour shift without FBI interference."

She took his good right hand in his and tears started to stream down his cheeks. Her contact had released the dam of emotions he had kept inside for two months.

"Are you in pain?" She asked, alarmed.

Two blinks. _I've missed you so much._

"I've missed you too Booth."

It was as if they were communicating telepathically and he marvelled at the fact.

"We've found more evidence to clear my name. Dad dug up some information on Pelant's past. I've passed on the information to Angela. Hopefully it'll be useful."

One blink. His head and body hurt and he closed his eyes, trying to manage the pain.

"You've got a broken skull. Not to mention many of your ribs and left clavicle. You'll eventually need surgery again to your left ankle, but that can wait until you're strong enough to withstand another lengthy surgery. I want you to know that I intend on clearing my name as soon as I can, so that I can be by your side as you recover. There's still a slight chance your condition might worsen but it's unlikely. I've read Dr Bennett's notes. You're doing well considering all that's happened."

Booth opened his eyes. One blink of thanks.

"I really have to go, but I'll see you again tonight."

One blink. He wanted to tell her it was dangerous for her to be there with him. He wanted to tell her not to come back. He had no way of making his thoughts known to her.

"I love you Booth." She leaned in to press a gentle kiss to his forehead. He felt her close her hand over his, pushing on the button to deliver the extra dose of painkillers which would also lull him to sleep.

 _I love you too Bones._


	4. Chapter 4

**_Thanks everyone for following and setting me for alerts and reviewing etc etc. You get my gist. I appreciate your time to read, to review._** ** _LoveShipper_** ** _,_** ** _554Laura (that might take awhile), GalaxieGurl_** ** _(that's high praise, thank you. when I write, that's what I try to picture in my head too),_** ** _mendenbar (you're right to hope, and I think you shouldn't worry too much about that happening), kareneb_** ** _(you're quite right),_** ** _ZinaR, Nelapl_** ** _(don't we all),_** ** _FaithinBones, jsboneslover, Starlit jewel_** ** _. Thank you all for leaving me your thoughts._**

Booth spent the rest of the day mostly sleeping. Millie knew he would want to save his strength for when Brennan started her shift. True to her word, Brennan entered his room that night. He watched as she changed his IVs and recorded his clinical parameters, going about her nursing duties as if she had been a RN her whole life. She chatted to him as she did her work.

"Remember, my name's Rachel." Brennan said. "They're extubating you tomorrow. So please, don't call me Bones."

One blink.

"You've lost so much weight in your week here since the accident. It pains me to see you this way."

Two blinks. He was sorry for putting her through this. Sorry she was hurting.

"It's not your fault. Christine misses you."

One blink. He missed her too.

"As soon as I can, I'll bring her here to see you. But for now, we can't take that risk."

One blink, he understood.

"Once you're extubated, you can start eating again. Putting on the muscle mass you've lost back is optimal for recovery."

One blink. He wanted pudding. He also wanted her. Slowly, he lifted his right hand towards her. His hand trembled under the effort. He hated that he was so weak.

"You've lost a significant amount of blood, you've been immobile for a week. This weakness is temporary." She took his hand in hers, leaning in to quickly plant a kiss on his cheek.

"The scar on my forehead is fake and the nose job is some glued on latex. Something Dad taught me to do."

One blink. It made sense that the old conman was also a master of disguises.

"I haven't met Angela or Cam but I know they're been here to visit you. Hodgins and Sweets too."

One blink. He vaguely remembered his friends visiting him.

"I hope we find a way to clear my name soon and pin the murder of Ethan on Pelant. I don't want Millie implicated in all this. She's been so good to us."

One blink.

"I've kept you up long enough. You have a big day tomorrow. I'm going to administer the sedative soon."

One blink.

"Mrs Walters is waiting for me in the next room. You've kept me from her. I don't want to impede her recovery due to my negligence."

One blink. He knew she gave everything she did a hundred percent, if not more.

Brennan leaned in to kiss his forehead, relishing the feel of his skin on her lips.

"I can't wait to hear your voice again tomorrow. It's been so long." Those were the last words he heard, and then the sedatives kicked in.

…

When Brennan entered Booth's room the next night, his hospital bed was slightly inclined, allowing him to be propped up in bed. She was pleased to see that the tube that had been in his throat was now gone. He was breathing on his own. Nasal prongs supplemented the oxygen his shallow breaths took in. His oxygen saturation levels looked acceptable. Otherwise nothing else seemed to have changed. His eyes were closed and she surmised he must have dozed off. Wanting to let him rest, she decided to check on Mrs Walters first. When she returned half an hour later, Booth was still asleep. She changed his IVs and emptied his catheter. She then crouched down to record the numbers in the container that drained from his chest tube. She noted that the volume of fluid drained had continued to lessen since the previous night. They would be able to remove the drain soon.

"Bones." She heard him groan in a barely audible, hoarse voice.

She quickly stood up, taking his hand in hers, barely able to contain the tears that threatened to fall.

"I'm here."

She knew he was still heavily drugged up and reminded him of her fake name. "I'm Rachel."

"There's… nobody else… here." His eyes were open but they lacked the clarity that she was accustomed to seeing.

"We still need to be careful. How are you feeling?"

"Head hurts. Dizzy. Can't… catch my breath." Every breath he took produced a stabbing pain to his broken ribs.

"You've been lying down for a week. We've propped you up a little, to get your body used to being upright. The dizziness will pass. Skull fracture will take some time to heal. You need time to regain full lung function again. The breathlessness is also temporary. Would you want more morphine for the pain?"

"No." He croaked. "I want… you." He managed a weak smile.

No longer having a tube in their way, she leaned in to kiss his dry, chapped lips.

"I almost lost you without even knowing it." Brennan said as he reached a hand to wipe a tear from her eye.

"I'm.. okay." He breathed as if it took great effort to verbalize those two simple words.

"You're barely okay."

"I will be."

"I'm sorry I left."

"I understood everything you said." He took time to catch his breath. "I just… couldn't say anything."

"I'm sorry I took Christine from you."

"I know."

Brennan nodded. "From your chart, I can see you've had sips of water. Would you like some now?"

"Yeah. Throat hurts."

"That's from being intubated. It'll go away in a couple of days."

She brought a straw to his lips, carefully allowing him to drink the cool water to soothe his parched throat.

"I think you need a shave and maybe I'll help clean you up a little."

"Sponge bath… from my favorite nurse Rachel. Don't tell… my girlfriend Bones okay?" Despite having to catch his breath, Booth grinned.

For the first time since finding out about the accident, Brennan laughed softly. She took her time shaving the week old beard from his face, careful to avoid the few scrapes on his face he had sustained from the accident that were already healed over. She then washed his uninjured skin as gently as she could, letting her hands linger sensually over his body. She knew every movement he made still hurt due to his healing fractures. She studied his face, careful not to cause him anymore pain. His eyes were closed as she gently sponged him, he seemed to be enjoying her touch.

Booth groaned when she was done, complaining about the sudden lack of physical contact. She was so near him, yet he was unable to pull her to him for a much-needed hug. "I've missed you… Missed your touch."

Brennan smiled, resting her hand on his cheek. "I missed you too."

"You're doing a great job… As a nurse."

"To prepare for the job, I read up as much as I could on my way back to DC. I'm a very quick learner."

"Mrs Walters… next door. She's okay?"

"Of course Booth."

"Just checking." He teased. His voice took on a serious tone. "Listen Bones…" he inhaled deeply, wincing in pain. "…you're not safe here. It's… a matter of time before… they figure out who you are. Or Pelant… he could beat them to it... Come for you."

"I don't care Booth."

"Do you want to spend the rest… of your life in jail?! Without me and Christine?"

He panted with the effort of his outburst but Booth continued. "And what about Millie? She's gonna get charged… with aiding and abetting a known fugitive... If Pelant came… and I couldn't save you… I just… I couldn't live with myself."

Brennan closed her eyes sighing. He was making a strong point for her needing to leave.

"Every day you're here… the chances of you getting caught gets higher."

For the first time since they were reunited, Brennan saw a hint of the old Booth. A determined fire in his eyes.

"I'm not leaving you Booth. You still have a long road to recovery."

"And you can't help me recover if you're in jail." Booth closed his eyes and Brennan waited for him to catch his breath. "Bones… you know I'm right. It's not like… I'm going anywhere."

"You're right." She conceded. The truth hurt.

"You need to go… After tonight."

"When can I see you again?"

Booth closed his eyes. This had been the longest he had stayed awake and he fought the bonds of sleep threatening to claim his consciousness. "Soon. I hope."

Brennan recognized that Booth was tiring. Their exchange had taken a lot out of him. His oxygen saturation was dropping.

"You need your rest."

"No. I don't know when… I'll see you again. Wanna stay awake longer."

"Just a little while more."

"Give Christine a kiss for me… Tell her I love her."

"I will. I show her your photograph every day. So she remembers her Dad."

"I'm sorry this accident's… got in the way. Whatever happens… no matter how long it takes… I'll find Pelant. Bring you home."

Brennan shook her head. "This accident provided us with an opportunity to see each other again. You work your angle and I'll work mine. We'll find a way for Christine and I to come home soon."

Booth winced in pain as he struggled for breath. He wanted to say it was taking too long to bring her home already.

"You should get some sleep Booth." She reached for the morphine pump. "Can't wait to see you again."

"Wait, Bones. I… I love you."

Brennan kissed him again as his eyes closed. "I love you too."

 ** _I know some of you may not like seeing Booth being so physically weak. He had been in a serious accident so it's gonna take time before he's him again._**


	5. Chapter 5

**_Thank you all for reviews._** ** _LoveShipper_** ** _,_** ** _ZinaR, bookwormlady (you'll have to read on to find out), gatewatcher, 554Laura, topaz270 (true, but will he?),_** ** _GalaxieGurl (thanks), kareneb, (thank you too!), mendenbar, aadams00,_** ** _Lauwy_** **** ** _(true that),_** ** _Nelapl,_** ** _jsboneslover_** ** _(yes they always have), FaithinBones and other guests. I appreciate all the kind words you took the time to leave me._**

Booth woke the next morning with a sense of loss. He knew his night nurse would no longer be Rachel that night. On the bright side, he found that he could breathe a little easier now and his thoughts were much clearer. Dr Bennett came during his morning rounds to check on Booth, cheerfully informing him that he could try eating and drinking soon. Millie arrived in the afternoon to let him try some pudding. He managed to keep a couple of spoons of the soft pudding down before his stomach protested and a wave of nausea overcame him.

"I won't forget what you did for us." He said as Millie made notes in his chart.

"Like I told Tempe, I owe Max my life."

"Still… it was a big risk."

"She said she'll try to come back to see you. Maybe in a couple of weeks."

"I hope she doesn't… Too risky."

"I have to tend to the other patients."

"Right. Just… thank you."

"You're welcome."

Millie was about to leave when Flynn walked through the door. She glanced at Flynn then back at Booth with a look of worry.

"Seeley. Glad to see you're doing better."

"What are you doing here Flynn?"

"What? I can't come visit my friend in hospital?"

"C'mon Flynn. There's an FBI Agent… fresh outta Quantico at my door. I know why you're here."

"You almost died from the accident. Dr Brennan would've wanted to see you."

"My answer's the same as always… Haven't seen her, don't know where she is."

Flynn turned to look at Millie.

"He hasn't had any new visitors. As you can see Mr Booth is still recovering. He can barely catch his breath as he talks, you shouldn't interrogate him like this."

Flynn nodded to indicate he understood. "Just doing my job. You'll tell me if any one new comes to see him."

"Of course."

"You know I had a tip-off that someone resembling Dr Brennan was seen in the vicinity of this hospital."

"I had not seen her." Millie asserted.

Flynn turned to Booth, raising his eyebrows.

"Don't look at me… I've been so… drugged up. I don't even remember how I got here."

"What happened to that night nurse? The one looking after Booth. She's not on your roster anymore."

"She had to go visit her grandmother in Chicago who had taken ill. She won't be coming back to this unit. She's from the oncology department anyway. She was helping us out when we had a shortage of ICU-trained nurses."

"You know I'll check that right?"

Millie nodded. If she was worried, she didn't show it.

Flynn turned back to Booth. "Get well soon Seeley. I'll come visit in a couple of days."

"I'm counting on it."

They waited for Flynn to leave before Booth spoke in a hushed tone. "He's gonna follow up on that you know?"

"Max assured me he had that covered."

"I'm sure he does."

"You get your rest now. It'll help get you back on your feet."

Booth nodded his thanks, noting that the slight movement of his head didn't hurt as badly as the day before. He closed his eyes. Sleep came easily as it always did since the accident.

…

Each day passed in the hospital slowly. His recovery felt frustratingly slow. He was slowly but surely regaining his strength but had a long way to go before he would be the old Booth again. Angela visited, assuring him she thought she was close to being able to bring Brennan home. Sweets and Cam came by often, but who he wanted the most, he could not see. He was determined however to get back on his feet and resume his quest to bring Brennan home. But one could not rush the healing process no matter how hard he willed it.

His mind tortured him with dreams of Pelant kidnapping and killing Brennan. They were so real that Millie had informed him that he had called out for her while he had been sleeping. He even thought Pelant was in his hospital room with him once. He woke with a start, causing himself a jolt of pain but relieved to find it was only another nightmare.

Two weeks since he last saw Brennan, Millie informed Booth that he was strong enough to have another round of surgery on his badly fractured left ankle. The complex fracture had involved three separate bones. He needed implants to fortify the bones there before they could heal and he could even think of putting weight on it again. He was informed that it wasn't high risk surgery but given his recent severe trauma, the odds of something going wrong were higher.

Booth woke from surgery feeling groggy but not in as much pain as he had been when he first woke from his coma. He noticed the nurses monitoring him closely but was soon dragged back into a deep sleep. When he woke a second time, he felt more awake. The effects of anesthesia was wearing off. In the periphery of his vision, he noticed a movement and then to his surprise Brennan's face came into view.

"Bones… What?!"

"Shhh…"

"You shouldn't be here."

"Millie told Dad you were due for surgery. I had to make sure you're okay."

"I'm fine. I love you but you should go." He noticed that Brennan was not in hospital scrubs, but instead was in dark green coveralls. She had a cap with her long hair tucked under it.

"It's fine. I'm supposed to be the janitor, just for a couple of hours. Then I'm gone."

Booth glanced at her name tag and couldn't help but chuckle. "Okay Julio."

Brennan leaned in and the couple kissed, enjoying the sensation of their lips moving against each other's.

"I've never kissed another man before." Booth joked.

Brennan scowled in mock annoyance but was glad he was in better spirits than when she last saw him.

"I've seen your chart. The surgeon did an excellent job given that your left navicular and lateral cuneiform were crushed into small pieces. And you didn't have an adverse reaction to the anesthesia. With intensive rehab, you should be able to walk and run again."

"I can't wait."

Booth's thoughts were still a little muddled from the anesthesia but he remembered the need to clear her name.

"How's progress on Pelant?"

"I found the remains of a woman Pelant killed when he was in High School. I might be able to prove he killed her."

"That's good. At least it'll keep you and Christine safe. How is she?"

"She healthy. Growing. Misses her Dad."

"Yeah I miss her too. I'd hate to miss her first birthday."

"You won't."

"And you're okay right?"

"Yes."

"Right. You really gotta go Bones. The last time you were here as nurse Rachel, Flynn suspected something was up."

Brennan looked at Booth with sadness in her eyes.

"I know. I hate this too." He reached for her, happy that in contrast to the previous time she was here, he now had the strength to pull her to him. He held her gently to him. There was a commotion outside and Brennan turned, just in time to see Agent Flynn burst in, drawing his gun. Another agent stood menacingly at the door.

"No! Don't shoot." Booth yelled.

"I knew you'd come." Flynn said. "Hands where I can see them."

"She's not a threat Flynn." Booth growled, cursing at his inability to get out of bed. He grunted in pain as he pushed himself to sit up.

"No Booth, you'll hurt yourself." Brennan raised her hands above her head in surrender. "I'll come with you Agent Flynn."

"Bones, no!"

"I don't have a choice Booth."

Booth watched helplessly as Flynn pulled Brennan's hands behind her back, reaching for his handcuffs.

"There's no need for that. You know she's not gonna try anything." Booth insisted.

"You do know she's been wanted by the FBI for a long time right Booth? I'm sorry. I don't have a choice."

Booth struggled against the tubes with his good right arm. His left clavicle was still healing and his left arm was still strapped in place against his chest. The cast on his left ankle was heavy and he attempted to lift it off the bed to swing his legs over. He reached for the IV in his left hand, ripping it off. It left a trail of blood on the white hospital sheets. The monitors beside Booth's bed went off and the day shift nurse rushed in to check on Booth.

"Booth, please." Brennan pulled against Flynn, staring into his eyes pleadingly. "You've just had surgery. I'll be okay." She wasn't entirely sure she would be, but she knew if she didn't stop him, he would have climbed out of bed and fell onto the hospital floor, injuring himself further.

"I'll make sure she's safe, Seeley. You have my word." He lifted the handcuffs in his hand. "I'm not gonna use them okay?"

Suddenly overcome by exhaustion and pain, Booth slumped back into bed. The nurse hurried to Booth's side, stemming the drip of blood from his torn IV needle.

Flynn continued to speak to Booth. "You're lucky I'm not gonna charge you with anything. This isn't the first time she's been here isn't it?"

"Agent Booth had no prior knowledge of me coming to see him. This is the first time we've seen each other since Christine's baptism." Brennan was quick to add.

"You're making a mistake Flynn. You know Pelant's the one you want." Booth growled, still angry.

"You know we have no proof that he's guilty. As far as the evidence goes, Dr Brennan was involved in the murder of Ethan Sawyer."

"She's innocent. Pelant framed her."

"I'm just doing my job."

Booth clenched his fists in anger. "You can't take her!"

"No Booth. It's okay. I'm tired of running." Brennan turned to Flynn. "I have evidence to prove Pelant murdered a woman when he was in High School."

"We'll talk more in the interrogation room Dr Brennan. Let's go."

"Bones!" Booth called after her.

"I'll be okay Booth."

"I love you."

"I love you too."

Booth watched angrily as Flynn led Brennan away, disappearing from his sight. He had never felt so helpless in his life.


	6. Chapter 6

**_A great big thank you to everyone who is following and added me or this story to your favorites. And especially to those who took the time to review:_** ** _mendenbar (true but I think he was over zealous about his job. Not sure if he will be redeeming himself in this universe where my story's at), bookwormlady_** ** _(I'm not so sure about that, he just had surgery),_** ** _ZinaR, GalaxieGurl (lol sorry for making you angsty and stressed, there's no need for tearing your clothes or gnashing of teeth, read on to find out),_** ** _LoveShipper (he's actually doing what Brennan would, following the evidence),_** ** _pauchacottle (thanks)_** ** _,_** ** _FaithinBones, kareneb_** ** _(in original canon, Flynn wasn't knowingly part of Pelant's plan, IMO he isn't such a bad guy),_** ** _loverofbones, Lauwy, 554Laura (not too steep a cliff I left you on I hope), aadams00_** ** _(thanks)._**

 ** _Sorry for leaving everyone on a cliff where things were looking pretty bleak. Don't worry, things will get fixed soon. Read on._**

A day after Brennan's arrest, Max showed up to visit Booth with Christine. It was a bittersweet moment as he held his baby girl for the first time in almost three months.

"She's grown so big." Booth commented as he kissed the top of Christine's head. She sat next to him on his hospital bed, clearly happy to see him. She reached for his cheek, patting his face.

"She has." Max smiled, careful to keep a hand on the baby to prevent her from inadvertently hurting her father.

"Thanks Max for taking care of them. For getting Bones here right after my accident."

"We had a good run. Could've kept it up too if not for the fact that Tempe insisted she had to come see you."

"I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault Booth." Max took the curious baby from her father's arms. She had taken an interest in the IV running into her Dad's arm and was reaching for it.

"Bones is in jail now." Booth sighed. "It's not a good place to be. If they find her guilty…"

"She's still in the holding cell at the FBI. She's led them to the remains of Pelant's High School guidance counsellor who went missing after she went for her morning jog. It'll buy us some time."

Christine reached for her father again. Brennan had done a good job, reminding their daughter of him. She was a great mother. Booth wanted to make sure she was a mother to Christine for a long time to come.

Max placed the baby beside her father on his bed again.

"If Pelant feels that we're closing in on him – "

"I'll make sure Christine's safe. And Tempe is safe with the FBI for now."

"I guess it's a good thing she's in their custody."

"It's you he might come after next."

"Me?"

"Yeah. You're easy pickings now. And you no longer have an FBI guard at your door."

"I'll be fine. Just keep an eye on Bones and Christine. I can take care of myself."

"You can't even get out of bed!"

"I'll be fine Max."

"If you say so." Max conceded. "I'll take her home now. It's time for her nap."

"You have the keys to my house."

"I'll be back tomorrow to visit."

"Just keep Christine safe." Booth kissed the baby on her head again.

"You know I will." He took Christine into his arms again. "I'd sleep with one eye open if I were you."

Booth was again left alone, frustrated at his inability to help his family. He had trouble falling asleep despite his recent surgery. He had needed to be medicated again that night to help him sleep. His dreams were filled with Pelant mocking him, holding a lifeless Brennan infront of him.

Booth woke in the morning with a start, the image of his dead girlfriend jarring him awake.

"You're awake! You were thrashing about, I was worried."

"Bones?" Booth blinked, scarcely daring to believe she was really there. "I'm not dreaming am I?"

"No, you're not." Her hair was still dyed blonde but other than that she was no longer wearing any disguises. She quickly took his hand in his, as if to assure him she was really there.

"They let you go?"

Brennan smiled. "Angela found a way to break Pelant's code. She erased the image of me leaving Ethan's house. She also cleared Caroline. Clark and the rest of the team have found a way to prove Pelant killed Carol Moresy, his guidance counsellor. Agent Flynn and his team are on their way to arrest him as we speak."

"That's really good news."

"It is. I'm no longer a fugitive wanted by the FBI and Cam assured me I have my job back at the Jeffersonian."

"Even more good news." Booth beamed.

Brennan smiled back, hugging Booth, mindful of his still healing fractures.

"Now you can concentrate on your recovery."

"I guess I can." He looked at her guiltily. "I'm sorry I let Flynn take you. You shouldn't have had to spend two days in the FBI holding cell. It's not a nice place to be."

"Agent Flynn made sure I was alone in the cell, he didn't allow any other suspects to be placed in there with me. He also made sure I was constantly watched, in case Pelant tried to harm me."

"I guess under the circumstances, he did his best."

"I'm sorry I took Christine and left you Booth."

"I understand."

"Do you really?"

"Well okay. I was angry. I think… I still kinda am. I lost time with Christine, with you." He sighed. "I understand why you couldn't tell me."

"I'm sorry. I wish I could give you that time back."

"Look we've got our whole lives together ahead of us now. That's what's important. I almost got killed by some drunk driver. But I didn't."

"I'm here now Booth. And I'm never leaving you ever again. No matter what."

"I believe you Bones."

They shared another passionate kiss.

"Oh and Bones?"

She looked at her boyfriend questioningly.

"I never really liked you blonde."

Brennan laughed. "I'll remember to wash out the hair dye when I get home tonight."

 ** _I know some of you might think this chapter was a quick fix for everything. In a way it is. But I wrote this as a challenge fic. It wasn't meant to be dragged out too long. So I figured this was the best way to tie things up. One more chapter to go. Keep a look out._**


	7. Chapter 7

**_RobinAngelena,_** ** _JAG'ed Bones in the Casckett, GalaxieGurl_** **** ** _(good suggestion, I'll see if that's a possible future fic),_** ** _ZinaR, LoveShipper_** ** _,_** **** ** _FaithinBones, kareneb, 554Laura_** ** _,_** ** _mendenbar (lol yeah, I didn't too). Everyone else who has kept up with this story._**

 ** _Ok here's the end. Thanks everyone for sticking with me._**

Epilogue

Booth slipped effortlessly along the wall of the bank, confronting the bank robber trying to make an escape. He dispensed of him with two shots to the chest, before aiming his gun to the figure to his right. There stood another masked robber holding a hostage as a human shield infront of him. Without hesitating, Booth pulled the trigger once, hitting the robber squarely in the head. The hostage was unharmed. Beside him he heard the instructor yell, "Time!"

Booth slipped his protective goggles, then ear plugs off. He grinned cockily to himself.

"Not bad Agent Booth."

"Thank you."

"I'll send my assessment to the Assistant Director. I don't think you'll have any trouble being certified as a field agent again."

Booth didn't think so either.

"Good to know." He gave the instructor a nod of thanks.

…

Booth was careful to pull off his muddy shoes before entering his house. The family he loved more than his own life was at the kitchen. Brennan feeding Christine her lunch. The little girl noticed her father's presence immediately.

"Dada!" She stretched her small arms out to him.

"Dada's more than a little dirty and stinky right now so I'll hold you after I've hit the shower Sweetheart." He pressed a kiss to his daughter's head.

"How'd it go?" Brennan asked.

"How'd you think it went?" He flashed her his cocky smile.

"You must have done extremely well, considering you appear to be elated."

"Yeah. Smoked Hogan's Alley. Not my personal best but considering I've just learnt to walk again not too long ago…"

He glanced at Christine smiling. He had worked to get back on his feet at about the same time that she had learned to take her first steps. She was his inspiration and Booth had worked hard at rehab, getting back into shape and being ready to be field tested for his job.

"And the mental tests?"

"I didn't hurt my head in the accident. That means I didn't forget anything."

"You fractured your skull. And you forgot how you ended up in the hospital. Did you forget that?"

Booth rolled his eyes at her. "No. I remembered eventually right?"

"So you're cleared for active field duty?"

Booth had returned to his job as an FBI Agent two weeks ago but had been confined to his desk.

"They still have to submit the assessment to the Assistant Director but the Instructor at Quantico pretty much gave me the thumbs up. Sweets already cleared me for all the mental, psycho mumbo-jumbo stuff. So we're good to go."

Brennan smiled. "I'm glad."

Booth beamed back at her, "I'm back in business baby!"

She laughed. "Caroline called."

"Yeah? About Pelant?"

"Yes. She thinks we have enough to put him away for a long time. Probably forever."

"You know someone like Pelant? He doesn't deserve to grow old and die in jail."

"You're thinking death penalty?"

"That's not my job. Caroline knows what she's doing."

"We still haven't tied him to all the murders, but we will. We're working on it."

"Yeah the last thing I want is Pelant getting some shrink to say that he should go to some looney bin where he'll be free to continue wreaking havoc."

"We'll give Caroline the evidence she needs. I'm confident."

"Good."

"So we can be partners again?"

"Yeah baby." Booth flashed her his charm smile.

Brennan laughed. He leaned in to capture her lips in his, enjoying a slow, passionate kiss.

Beside them, Christine whined, protesting being left out.

"I love you too Christine." Booth kissed her cheek, tasting pureed carrots on his lips.

Brennan gave him a gentle push. "You really do smell. Go take a shower. There could be bacteria and fungi that you had inadvertently picked up on your body on your trip down Hogan's Alley."

"Okay." Booth sighed exaggeratedly. "But after I'm nice and clean and this little one's down for her nap… maybe we could take a long nap of our own?"

"I'd like that."

Booth grinned, heading for the shower. She had taken their daughter and left him. He had almost died in a car accident. Pelant had almost gotten away with murder. Their lives had almost been destroyed. But now months later, things were finally right again. He was determined to put all that behind him and continue to build the life they now shared together. Who knew? Maybe she would ask him to marry her one day.

 _End_


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